SPOILER ALERT: The Sage’s name is Lomurcio

Derk looks kinda like a zombie in that first panel. Not sure what’s going on with him.

Also, do you like the sage’s font? Because we do, so it’s staying.

Altermentality:

I’m quite happy with how this one turned out. I have a new way of doing backgrounds, and also I think the second panel looks pretty cool. Victor thinks I went a little overboard with Skärva’s embarrassment, but I think it’s cute how his ears get red too. Just wait until the next comic…

It’s a Photoshop filter called “angled strokes”. It’s pretty much my go-to effect for this comic. Here, as in other panels from time to time, I used it on a bunch of stripes I had made using a brush with an interesting texture. I like it because it makes everything smooth and painterly and inobtrusive; it has texture to it without popping out at you and distracting you from the foreground. I use it for the snow on the mountains too. Abusing Photoshop filters can be tacky, but I find they are very useful when used in moderation. It’s fun to experiment.

So it goes, in life. People are always judging you from the outside, and if you have a terrifying maw full of chompers intended for ripping flesh, they’re not going to care if you’re a warm, loving, and caring individual on the inside. …Of course Skärva is actually none of those things.